1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lighting device for a vehicle, having a non-cut clear lens and a reflector for determining a light distribution characteristic of the lighting device, and more particularly, to a lighting device for a vehicle, which is suitable for preventing occurrence of condensation on the inner surface of a clear lens.
2. Background Art
In some conventional lighting devices, the light distribution characteristic is determined by a multi-surface reflector having reflection surfaces capable of selectively reflecting light emitted from a bulb, at multiple angles. According to such a lighting device, since the light distribution can be determined by the multi-surface reflector, a non-cut clear lens can be used as the front side lens of the lighting device. This is advantageous in that it can exhibit a desirable appearance different from that of a lighting device using a cut lens; however, such a lighting device is disadvantageous in that since the inside of the lighting device is visible as it is seen from the outside through the clear lens, condensation, water droplets, damp haze, and the like due to moisture in the lighting device become conspicuous.
A lighting device for preventing occurrence of condensation and damp haze due to moisture in the lighting device has been purposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 7-105701, in which a vent hole for ventilating the inside of the lighting device and a vent pipe mounted in the vent hole are provided in a housing for housing a bulb and a reflector.
For a vehicle used for running only on a paved roadway or regular roadway, the inside of a lighting device can be ventilated by using the above-described vent hole and vent pipe. However, for an ATV (All Terrain vehicle), or other vehicles, used for running not only on regular roadways, but also xe2x80x9coff-road,xe2x80x9d the inside of a lighting device does not receive sufficient ventilation, using the device and method of the above laid-open Japanese Patent.
Namely, since such a vehicle sometimes runs on rugged unpaved roadways, the lighting device may be immersed in water for a short time. If this occurs, the device and method of the Laid-open Japanese patent are insufficient to prevent permeation of water into the lighting device. As a result, When the lighting device is immersed in water, condensation forms on the lens, which cannot be removed for a long period of time.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problem and to provide a lighting device for a vehicle, which is capable of preventing water from permeating a lighting device, thereby efficiently preventing occurrence of water droplets and condensation caused by moisture build-up in the lighting device.
To achieve the above object and additional objects, according to embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a lighting device for a vehicle which includes a casing having a lens member attached thereto, a luminance means operatively disposed within said casing, at least one vent hole bored through said casing, and a sheet member for covering said vent hole, said sheet member being water impermeable, thereby substantially preventing water from entering said casing.
In addition, there is provided a vehicle lighting device including a vehicle body frame having a plurality of wheels attached thereto, a handlebar attached to said vehicle body frame, said handlebar operative to steer at least one of said plurality of wheels, and means attached to said vehicle body frame for mounting at least one casing for housing a luminance means, wherein said at least one casing includes at least one vent hole bored therethrough, and a sheet member for covering said vent hole, said sheet member being water impermeable, thereby substantially preventing water from entering said casing.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.